Ghana pushes for AfCFTA expansion to Caribbean to deepen trade, investment

Ghana is advocating for the expansion of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework to incorporate Caribbean nations, aiming to enhance economic integration, trade, investment, and historical ties between Africa and the Caribbean. President John Dramani Mahama proposed the initiative, which would leverage the shared historical identity between Africa and the Caribbean, which has been historically divided by the transatlantic slave trade and enslavement.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, emphasized that the AfCFTA, which currently includes 55 member states, has seen intra-African trade remain below 10 percent. To address this, Ablakwa suggested revisiting Ghana Airways to establish direct air links between the regions and reviving existing visa waiver agreements to enable seamless travel.

Ghana also seeks to enhance port cooperation, labor mobility, and regional production, moving away from exporting raw materials. Ghanaian nurses have already been deployed to Jamaica, Barbados, and Antigua and Barbuda, and President Mahama is set to meet more healthcare professionals upon his visit. Ablakwa highlighted the need for common legal frameworks, harmonized standards, and clear rules to ensure fair trade practices.

He also pointed to successful examples of regional cooperation, such as the European Union and ECOWAS, to guide the integration process.